My five year old will be returning to kindergarten after having reflux surgery. She had a nissen funduplication and had a g-tube put in her stomach. She eats some foods by mouth and gets g-tube fed only at home.
Could a (young or old) child offer me advice as to what other children may have asked them when they went back to school? I'm guessing other children may want to see her (g-tube) button or scars. Should I worry about germs or about my daughter feeling different than others? What about sports? My daughter wants to do everything. My doctor says I should let her.
She has a pretty good self-esteem for a five year old. But, of course, as a mother, I worry. Any advice from any younger or older children out there? Thanks!

Hi,
My daughter Rebecca who is now nine, had a g-tube through the age of 6. She attended two years of preschool and had it removed in January of her Kindergarten year. She too never needed to be fed while at school so that was never an issue. Her teachers were well aware of her "button" and if other kids asked, Becca was always happy to share info. She would say "I had a sick tummy and sometimes I need to get food this way" We never limited her activities at school and we never had an incident with the button while at school. Plus if we had, I was only a phone call away and I did keep an extra Mic-Key kit with the school nurse. She also took dance class while she had the Mic-Key button and you could always see it through her leotard but she was never embarrassed. It was very normal for her because she had it since 10 months old. The only sport I didn't let her do with it was gymnastics and that she started the month she had her tube removed. Ironically at age 9 that is the sport she still does. She had two nissens and the g-tube so she has three seperate scars on her abdomen and she rarely wears a one-piece in the summertime. She was so psyched to wear a bikini the summer after she had her tube removed. She feels like her scars now are some badge of honor for what she went through. Good luck. I hope your child is healing well and that the surgery was successful!
Stephanie

My daughter has had reflux since she was born. We have been on every type of medication, reglan, Zantac _ neither worked, Prilosec from 6 months until almost 2, we thought it was under control. She has swollen tonsils from the acid irritating them. We asked her the other day to tell us when her throat burns and she said it always does. Recently she was put on Prevacid. She's 5 years old. She eats good although she has allergies to milk, eggs, soy, mustard, and beef. Surgery was suggested just for us to get used to the idea of it. Our Peditrician has told us from the start I think she will need surgery. But when we get her off the medicine because she is doing better , it comes right back. What lead up to you having surgery to correct it?